table of contentsLetters to the editor can be on any topic or of any length. They may be editedLetters to the editor can be on any topic or of any length. They may be edited

for length or libelous content. Letters to the editor are accepted in room 220.for length or libelous content. Letters to the editor are accepted in room 220.

3

4

5

7

8

10

11

Honors Banquet

Mathis’ 500th Win

Margaret Thatcher

Letters to the Editors

Adventure Time

Dreams

Summer Hair Ideas

Juniors Becoming Seniors

Faculty Athletes

Charter Schools

Nicholas Sparks’ Books

Bonnaroo

Editors’ and Senior Pages

Final Note

17

Editors

Alex Agee

Aubrey Andrews

Mackenzie Clark

Corena Hasselle

Sarah Hasselle

Katherine Keller

Sydney McNeill

Emily Taylor

Maria Yousuf

Business Managers

Corena Hasselle

Maria Yousuf

Circulation Manager

Alex Agee

Design Editor

Elizabeth Butler

Assistant Editor

Laurie Williams

Photography Editor

Sarah Hasselle

Reporters

Johni Armstrong

Mary Byars

Lindsey Dunn

Jed Finley

Emily Jackson

Kent Kirby

MC Newbill

Hailey McKee

Ravi Patel

Morgan Reed

Sydney Robey

Suzanne Schultz

Stephen Simpson

Eri Sugiyama

Shehla Yousuf

Advisor

Suzanne Edwards

Trojan Torch

Dyersburg High School

125 Hwy. 51 Bypass

Dyersburg, TN 38024

trojan

torchVolume 45

Issue 7

3

4

13

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news

trojan torch 3

Sarah Hasselle

Photography Editor

On Thursday, April 25, the high school hosted its annual

banquet to honor students who have maintained a GPA

of 3.6 or higher for the 2012-2013 school year. The

dominant theme of this year!s honors banquet was “Inspire,

Achieve, Celebrate,” and students and parents entered the

school building through the new atrium, lined with a table filled

with appetizers.

Upon entering the atrium, students and their parents enjoyed

piano music performed by sophomores M.C. Newbill and Kent

Kirby. After the students checked in with their announcers, stu-

dents and parents socialized and waited in line for food.

“I liked using the new entrance and not having to wait in the

Little Theatre,” senior Nate Bernier said.

Two tables, filled with beef monterey, chicken cordon bleu,

salad and rolls, were set

in the two hallways lead-

ing to the commons!

doors. Golden stars hon-

oring the students were

posted in these hallways

with students! names

listed on them. Tables of

dessert, strawberry ba-

nana split or chocolate

cake, were set at the

back of the commons by

the hard-working cafete-

ria staff.

“I liked the food,” senior

Josh Williams said. “I

liked the chicken with the

cheese and ham inside.”

The tables were elo-

quently decorated to

match the stars posted in

the hall; star confetti was

sprinkled onto every

table, and at the front of

the commons, gold stars

hung above the podium.

When everyone was set-

tled in the commons, Prin-

cipal Jon Frye commenced

an introduction and after, social studies teacher Jeff Golson

led the crowd into prayer.

Finally the podium was set for 2002 alumnus speaker, John

Ford, Jr. Voted “Outstanding Junior Boy” and “Most Likely to

Succeed,” Ford attended the University of Tennessee at

Knoxville after graduation. Ford, as president of Orange Nation

at the University of Tennessee, grew the school-spirit organi-

zation from 100 members to over 1,500 members, while also

serving as a member of the UT Athletics Board.

After leaving Knoxville with a degree in civil engineering, Ford

moved to Nashville where he worked for engineering firms and

attended graduate school at Vanderbilt for Business Adminis-

tration, with a concentration in Finance. Ford now works for

Mars Petcare, the largest pet care company in the world, as

General Accounting and Overheads Manager in Franklin, Ten-

nessee.

Ford!s speech to the students mainly focused on being open-

minded to change and how expectations may turn out wrong.

Ford explained that although he felt he had it easy throughout

high school, he really had to study once he was in college and

asking for help was something that he had to adjust to.

After Ford!s speech and the announcement of a brick made

in his honor for the front of the school by English teacher

Suzanne Edwards, assistant principal Joy Norman thanked the

contributors, and after asisstant principal Harry Ferrell pre-

sented this year!s re-

t i r i n g

teacher--Edwards.

Edwards has spent

thirty-three years

teaching with twenty-

nine years at Dyers-

burg High School.

After congratulating

Edwards, Golson,

chemistry teacher

Kim Decker, biology

teacher Deborah

Gatlin, theater arts

teacher Chris Solmon

and government

teacher Mark Sten-

berg awarded fresh-

man, sophomore,

junior, senior and

golden honor roll stu-

dents, respectively.

Twenty-three seniors

were considered

golden honor roll stu-

dents, fourteen juniors,

thirteen sophomores

and ten freshmen.

Thirty-six seniors were

considered honor roll students, twenty-four juniors, twenty-four

sophomores and twenty-five freshmen.

After the eighteen-member 30+ Club was announced by cir-

riculum coordinator Kim Worley,

Frye congratulated National Merit Finalist, senior Will Clifft,

and later announced this year!s twenty-three Trojan Scholars

and this year!s Valedictorian, senior Maria Yousuf. Closing re-

marks were given by Frye.

DHS hosts annual honors banquet

Trojan Scholars are pictured after their announcement. First row: Mackenzie

Clark, Hannah Langley, Maria Yousuf, Will Clifft, Ellen Staggs, Julia Frye. Second

row: Katherine Keller, Matt Norville, Madelyn Howe, Sydney McNeill, Catherine

Guthrie, Emily Taylor. Third row: Stephen Simpson, McKenzie Reed, Emily

McKee, Ravi Patel, Corena Hasselle, Madison Hall. Fourth row: Billy Jenkins,

Noah Mulvaney, Matt Daniels, Alex Agee, Sarah Hasselle.

Photo courtesy of Connie Wright

4 trojan torch

Shehla Yousuf

Reporter

Baseball coach Tom Mathis achieved his 500th career winon Wednesday, March 27. The game was against Ripley,and the Trojans beat the Ripley Tigers 7-3. Mathis has

been coaching baseball for 25 years, this year being his 25thseason.

In honor of his 500th win, Mayor John Holden presentedMathis with a proclamation that made March 27 “Tom MathisDay.”

“I think it’s really cool that Coach Mathis received this honor,”sophomore Amanda Sanchez said.

“I felt very humbled when Mayor Holden named March 27 inmy honor. I was born and raised in Dyersburg. I!love this schooland city with all of my heart. I!was very honored to receive thisfrom Mayor Holden,” Mathis said.

Not only has Mathis racked up numerous wins, he has alsohelped the young men that he coaches. Mathis has had 81 play-ers sign scholarships in his 25 years of coaching. He has alsobeen awarded District Coach of the Year 11 times and namedTennessee Baseball Coaches Association (TBCA) Regional Coachin 2009 and 2004.

“I feel very forunate not only to reach 500 wins but also tobe able to coach in the number of games we have played overthe years. I have been able to coach with some outstanding as-

sistant coaches and great young men over the past 25 years,”Mathis said.Mathis started out coaching at Hayti and spent three seasons

at Ripley before coming to Dyersburg to coach, which is ironicconsidering his 500th win was against Ripley. He has beencoaching at Dyersburg High School for 21 years.

“When I first started coaching, I!set a goal of 50 (wins), then100, then 150 and so on. Over the years, they just started toadd up. Before I knew it, 500 wins seemed very reachable,”Mathis said.

Mathis has always led the Trojans to victory. They have wonfive district titles, seven runners up, 12 years in regional semi-final, three years’ teams going to the State Sectionals and the2009 squad advanced to the state tournament.

“First of all, I!thank the good Lord for allowing me to coachthese young men day in and day out. The Lord has given methe opportunity to work in a profession that I!absolutely love todo: teaching and coaching baseball,” Mathis said.

Mathis recalled that his first win was with Hayti, and the Haytiteam was playing against Dyersburg.

“I was influenced by my former coaches to begin a career asa coach. But the main person that influenced me to be a coachwas my former high school coach -- Billy Taylor. Coach Taylorwas not only a great baseball coach but also an outstandingteacher and principal,” Mathis said.

Coach Mathis reaches 500 career wins

Photos courtesy of the State Gazette

trojan torch 5

Ravi Patel

Reporter

Britain’s first and only female prime minister, MargaretThatcher, passed away April 8, 2013, after a stroke.Thatcher, also known as the “Iron Lady,” is credited with

being one of the most influential political figures of recent Britishhistory.

Margaret Thatcher remains the only female in United Kingdomhistory to hold the positions of Conservative Party leader andPrime Minister. As a result of her contributions to the late twen-tieth century, Thatcher will receive a funeral with military honorsat St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

“The world has lost one of the great champions of freedomand liberty, and America has lost a true friend,” President BarackObama said.

Thatcher is generally remembered for implementing conser-vative domestic policies such as cutting welfare programs,breaking and reducing trade unions and privatizing industries.Her conservative ideology, coined “Thatcherism,” has influencedevery prime minister succeeding her, including David Cameron.Thatcher’s belief that the government had overstepped itbounds was heavily supported by U.S. President Ronald Reagan,a conservative.

“She was the Ronald Reagan of the United Kingdom. Bothwere kindred spirits,” history teacher Jeff Golson said.

“Margaret Thatcher was a towering political figure. Very few

leaders get to change not only the political landscape of theircountry, but of the world,” former United Kingdom Prime Minis-ter Tony Blair said.

Thatcher faced domestic and international struggle during allthree of her terms as Prime Minister.

In April of 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands whosesovereignty had been disputed before. Without hesitation,Thatcher sent the British navy 7,000 miles away to retake theislands. In June of 1982, Argentina surrendered.

Thatcher was the victim of an assassination attempt two yearslater. The Irish Republican Army (IRA), a revolutionary militantgroup, attempted to kill Thatcher with a bomb at a political con-ference. Five people were killed in the attempt. However,Thatcher remained unharmed and insisted on continuing theconference, where she later delivered a speech that gainedwidespread political support.

After attempting to implement changes to the education andmedical system as well as a fixed tax, Thatcher received over-whelming opposition and yielded to resign. Following her resig-nation, Thatcher was given the title of “baroness” and continuedto influence the political sphere until her death.

“It’s a shame; I remember reading about her in history,” seniorTiera Cole said.

Soon after, Thatcher began battling dementia and sufferedmultiple strokes causing her health to decline immensely.

Though Margaret Thatcher has passed away, she will alwaysbe considered an iconic political figure in British history.

Margaret Thatcher passes away at 87

Former U.S. President George H. W. Bush awards Margaret Thatcher the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, in 1991.

Thatcher was awarded the medal for her collaboration with the United States against the Soviet Union during the Reagan presidency.

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Dear Editor, I would like to bring your attention to

a topic that I believe needs to be ad-dressed. During the past two schoolyears a new rule has been enacted thatprevents students from sitting in theircars in the morning traffic and fromleaving early for school. Students areforced inside the crowded gym withother screaming students and are madeto wait until the bell rings to dismiss toclass. Not only do the students have todeal with obnoxious other students dur-ing their morning, but also they are not

allowed time to relax before going intoschool for 7 hours a day. Focusing moreon the traffic flow in the parking lot in-stead of trying to force kids into theschool building when the bell has yet toring, I believe, would lower the risks ofinjury and accidents in the east parkinglot. Many drivers are in a hurry in themorning and they are not as worriedabout the students’ safety as they areabout getting to work on time. Alsothere is no posted speed limit in theperimeter of the parking lot and manymotorists do not drive safe speeds. As a

student, I have had many close encoun-ters in the parking lot over the yearswith trying to get in my spot, leavingthe school grounds, and trying to ma-neuver to my designated area. Postingtraffic guards (principals, vice-principals,administration, etc.) in the parking areato direct and guide the flow of trafficwould increase the safety of the stu-dents, as well as adults, on the schoolgrounds.

Sincerely,Concerned Student

trojan torch 7

Dear Editor,As a student of Dyersburg High School, I would like to

bring your attention a problem that many students are en-countering. Between classes, there seems to be unnecessarycongestion of students in the commons area which preventsother students from moving from class to class in a smoothand timely manner. The excessive crowd causes students ei-ther to have to walk around the entire group or to risk beingharassed when walking through the grouped individuals.

Requiring these students not to stop and talk to one an-other would greatly increase the flow of students, fewer ar-guments would be heard and hallway horseplay would bediminished. A principal is stationed right next to where thecrowd gathers, but this crowding continues to happen. Thissituation also poses a problem with safety. The studentswho are gathering are blocking entry ways which could beused to avoid hazards such as fires.

As a student, we hope that principals and staff would doeverything they can to make the school more accessible toits students. We would appreciate your fixing this problemas soon as possible so students of DHS!can resume theirday-to-day activities with fewer interruptions.

Sincerely,Concerned Student

Photos by Eri Sugiyama

Letters to the EditorsLetters to the Editorseditorials

trojan torch

Elizabeth Butler

Design Editor

Since the early 1920s, when cartoons got their start, chil-dren have been hypnotized by the delights aired on theirtelevisions. However, some of these cartoons originally

marketed for a young audience gained a broader audience, likethe currently airing show, Adventure Time.

Today, Adventure Time is a major cartoon that appeals to notonly young children, but also teens and young adults. This car-toon currently airs on Cartoon Network, a television channel re-served for entertaining children and young teens during thedaytime.

This network does switch over to a more mature audiencelate at night, but this show is not in that time slot and is there-fore meant for the younger viewers of Cartoon Network.

The series was created by Pendleton Ward. Ward has alsobeen a part of other series such as The Marvelous Misadven-tures of Flapjack which aired on Cartoon Network and TheBravest Warriors which is available on YouTube through the Car-toon Hangover channel.

Adventure Time started out as an animated short created byWard for a conglomerative series called Random! Cartoons. Theshort became popular on the internet, then premiered officiallyon April 5, 2010. The series is currently in its fifth season witheach season having twenty-six episodes and each episode abouteleven minutes in length.

The series is set in a magical, post-apocalyptic land calledOoo. This mythical setting allows the show a wide range of op-tions regarding the content and even the actions of the charac-ters.

The main characters are a boy named Finn and his best friendand adopted brother, a dog named Jake. The two live in a treehouse and spend their time going on adventures and quests.

Other important characters include Princess Bubblegum, theprincess of the Candy Kingdom; Marceline the Vampire Queen,a vampire over a millenium old; Ice King, the main antagonistwho is able to manipulate ice and snow; and BMO, a multifunc-tional robot who also lives with Finn and Jake.

Adventure Time’s comical content includes subjects that somemay deem as inappropriate for the younger audience. Two ofthe major subjects that have caused controversy are homosex-ual relationships and drugs. However, these references are gen-erally subtle and not easily perceived by young children.

One such episode that includes this so-called inappropriatecontent is “What Was Missing.” This episode allegedly implies apast relationship between Princess Bubblegum and Marceline.

“So many extreme positions taken all over the internet. (I donot) really want to comment on it because of (the issues),” saidWard after the controversy spread.

Many episodes also supposedly contain references to psyche-delic drugs like lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, and Dimethyl-tryptamine, or DMT. In one episode in particular, Finn referencesDMT and the theory by Rick Strassman, a doctor specializing inpsychiatry, that it is created from the pineal gland of a human’sbrain.

Regardless of the controversies surrounding this series, it stillcontinues its success. The premiere of the fifth season waswatched in 3.435 million homes, and the series was reportedto have two to three million viewers an episode as of March2013.

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features

10 trojan torch

Scientific theory interprets dreamsM.C. Newill

Reporter

One might think interpreting dreamsis reserved for fiction, such as Pro-fessor Trelawney’s Divination class

in Harry Potter, but surprisingly there is atheory that one can interpret dreams inreal life.

Psychotherapy, psychoanalysis andneurology expert Sigmund Freud wrote abook entitled The Interpretation ofDreams which explains the meaning ofdreams.

The mind is classified intothree parts: Id, Ego andSuperego. Ego isone’s con-science mind and holds themoral and rational parts of thebrain. Id is the part of themind that creates desires andpleasures. Superego is acheck on Id when one is con-science, but when asleep,Superego goes away.

“I remember major dreamsforever. Minor dreams I forgetas soon as I wake up,” sopho-more Asia Grant said

The reason that peopleoften forget their dreams isthey are often disturbing andshow hidden desires, and theSuperego chooses to blockthem.

Another view on dreams is the Jungianview. Carl Jung studied his psychologypatients to find their problems werebased around their dreams.

Jung believed dreams did not necessar-ily rely on conscience and unconscienceexperiences, but on common ideas suchas religion.

Many dreams incorporate symbolism.These symbols can disguise feelings to-wards a others or an event. Symbolismcensors a person’s deepest desires when

dreaming.An example is a dream where one falls

off a cliff. Falling symbolizes over eachingone’s abilities in life. Falling off the cliff isan escape plan instead of confronting theissue in life.

Not all symbols in dreams are bad.Dreaming in bright colors is considered anexciting new perception on life.

“My dreams mean what they mean. Iunderstand why and what they mean,”sophomore Erik Lewis said.

Some students in biology do reports onthe dream theory.

“I have many students researchvarious theories, and they canchoose a theory that intereststhem, and that they want toknow more about. Dream theoryis occasionally a students choice,”biology teacher Deborah Gatlinsaid.

“(Dream theory) comes up inthe topic nature of science. Theobjective is to facilitate and un-derstand the concepts of hypoth-esis, theory, principle and lawsfrom a scientific perspective,”Gatlin said.

Dreams are a glimpse of a per-son’s hidden desires, and inter-preting dreams is a unique way tounderstand the mind’s wishes.

1,001 Dreams is a book that combines the theories of Jung and

Freud to explain to readers the meaning of there dreams by dis-

playing pictures of a thing or event that can occur within a dream

and interpreting its meaning.

If one wears a mask in a dream, it is associated with appearance. If

the individual dreaming is wearing the mask, especially if the mask

cannot be taken off or is forced on, it is a forewarning that one is

losing contact with his or her true self.

When a bridge appears in a dream, it symbolizes the linking of a secure

present with an uncertain future. Crossing the bridge is when the person

learns to handle what lies ahead and to move on with life.

Wikipedia

Photo by M.C. Newbill

trojan torch 11

Emily TaylorEditor

With summer ap-proaching, newstyles and clothing

trends will be making appear-ances, as well as hairstyles.

Different patterns and col-ors will be seen this summer.Chevron, a zig-zag pattern,has started trending over thepast several months and willmost likely continue through-out next season.

“Floral will be very popularthis summer,” senior Cather-ine Guthrie said.

"Paisley will be a recurringpattern for the summer," sen-ior Tiera Cole said.

“Major color trends arecoral, mint and

turquoise,” sophomore Meg Al-ford said.

Different styles of shoes ac-company the changingweather. Oxford shoes will beexpected to make an appear-ance as well as wedges.

“Hot shoes are definitelywedges. Wedges are startingto come in new designs, andthey are very popular,” Alfordsaid.

Bubble necklaces havepopped up in the fashionworld. They come in many col-ors and different sizes andlengths.

High-low style shirts anddresses are appearing more aswell as stud-embellishedshorts and shirts.

The change in temperaturewill also bring in various hair-styles.

“I like to wear my hair curlyand down or up in a pony-tail with a cute head-band,” Guthrie said.

“I do a lot of up-dosand half up-dos inthe summer that stilllook cute when it’sreally hot,” Alford

said.“I was thrilled to find

out that the prefix forevery hairdo was

messy: messy braid, messyponytail and messy bun,” Eng-lish teacher Suzanne Edwardssaid.

In the midst of so manychanges, there are many pos-sibilities for styling the dresscode.

“To incorporate the newtrends into the dress code,throw on a pastel colored scarfand some cute sandals orwedges, and you’re good togo! You could also wear somehigh-waisted pants,” Guthriesaid.

“Students can add infinityscarves to their outfit to switchup the dress code,” marketingteacher Judy Henry said.

As the new season comesaround, new trends will ac-company it to make the sum-

mer bright andrefreshing.

New styles trending for summer season

Bubble necklaces such as the one

shown have become a popular

trend this year.

Photos by Emily Taylor

Seniors Darian Harris and Jaleya Mosley exhibit ways of incorporating the new summer trends in the

dress code by pairing a scarf with an outfit or wearing an updo.

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12 trojan torch

13 trojan torch

Morgan ReedReporter

As the school year comes to a close,many juniors are left with a widearray of emotions. Some are just

grateful to have survived what is consid-ered at Dyersburg High School to be thehardest academic year.

Students have been told from the timethey registered for their freshman year ofhigh school that the next four years wouldpass in the blink of an eye. Many com-pletely disregard that statement realizethat it is more accurate than they only toocould have imagined.

Just recently, counselor Connie Wrightvisited the rising senior class to get themsigned up for their class load for next year.Many juniorshave opted fortheir scheduleto include thepopular serv-

ice learning while others are taking advan-tage of the new courses being offered.

“I am going to miss this year’s graduat-ing class. It just will not be the same with-out them here next year,” junior AlysonPatton said.

“It will be weird being the ones on top,”junior Nic Bowers said.

“I plan on owning this school,” juniorLucas Galewski said.

“I feel as if some people are making amistake by choosing easy class loads,”junior Vanessa Beard said.

Several juniors concur that the atmos-phere of school will be changed. Being theseniors of the school will leave a nostalgicfeeling in many of the students.

Teachers have much advice to give tothe Class of 2014 as they begin to thinkof college and life beyond high school.

“Juniors should begin their collegesearch in earnest: they should begin vis-iting colleges this

spring and summer,” senior Englishteacher Suzanne Edwards said.

“Make sure that you get involved yoursenior year and don’t wish it all away. Assoon as you leave high school, you willwish you were back,” agricultural educa-tion teacher Chris Cummins said.

Overall, the general feeling the juniorshave for senior year is one of excitement,that is, excitement for the unknown.

While junior year is full of stress and ac-ademic challenges, many juniors believesenior year will be stress free. And manyjuniors are preparing for the college ex-perience that is quickly approaching.

Some are planning to tour college cam-puses over the summer while others aresimply beginning to narrow down theschools they want to attend. Others arestill struggling to choose a career path.

Junior year has been a year of prepara-tion for the inevitably busy last year to

come.

Rising seniors prepare for leadership role

Juniors

Nic Bow-

ers, Laurie

Williams,

Natalie

Hampton and

Logan Rummells

express excitement

for their upcoming

senior year.

Photo by!Morgan Reed

14 trojan torch

Lindsey DunnReporter

In Issue 4 of the Trojan Torch, we started a series about fac-ulty and their athletic pasts. In this issue, we continue thatseries.

Chemistry teacher and former basketball coach Kim Deckerhas dribbled the ball ever since she can remember and playedall the way through college. Decker enjoyed the competitionand won the Division Championship in college and coached sev-eral teams that won District and Regional titles. Her most mem-orable moment playing basketball was making two free throwsat the Division Championship in college, setting them up for thewin. Decker misses the competition and the presence of thepeople who loved the game as much as she did and would def-initely still play today.

“Perseverance is the key. Do not look back when your careeris over and say ‘I wish I could have worked harder’,” Deckersaid.

Wellness teacher and football coach David Davis played base-ball as a high schooler and pursued football his whole life. Davisenjoyed the camaraderie of his teammates and the support ofthe fans who watched him and his team play. As a baseballplayer, Davis and his team played in four State Championships,winning two; as a football player, he played in two bowl gamesand coached two bowl games at the University of Memphis. Oneof Davis’s most memorable moments on the football field waswinning a bowl game for Memphis, since Memphis had notplayed in a bowl game for 31 years. Davis misses the collegegame day atmosphere and definitely would still play.

“Pressure is nothing more than the shadow of great opportu-nity,” Davis said.

Spanish teacherLeslie Haymon was acommitted basketballplayer, sticking to itfor eight years. Hay-mon enjoyed andmisses being part ofa team and thefriendships she gotout of it. She mademany memories, likein her last high schoolgame when she andher best friend vowedto shoot deep threepointers making theircoach furious. Al-though Haymon haskept up her basket-ball skills with a fewgames, she admitsthat it is not as easyas it used to be.

“Be committed andstay focused. Be will-ing to do what it takes to be great at what you do. Encourageyour teammates. Don’t neglect your education,” Leslie Haymonsaid.

Science teacher Angie Pickens kept her schedule busy playingbasketball from age nine to 18, softball from age 14 to 16, trackfrom age 14 to 17, golf since age 14 and continuing, and tennissince age 30 and on. Out of all the sports, Pickens enjoyed bas-ketball the most because of all the friends she made and thecompetitive aspect of the sport. Her most memorable momenton the basketball court was scoring the first eight points of thegame against Jackson Central Merry. On her adult tennis team,Pickens went to the American Tennis Association State tourna-ment five times. Pickens misses playing in the games andwishes she could still play.

“Be respectful to those who try to help you. Your characteron the court should reflect your character off the court. You willhave to sacrifice other things in order to make yourself out workthe other guy/gal,” Angie Pickens said.

Math teacher Grady Andrews has carried his love for footballwith him through the majority of his life. Starting his careerwhen he was eight years old, Andrews played, coached and ref-ereed football games until he was 45. In high school, Andrewsand his team claimed the title of District Champs for three years.His most memorable moment from his football life was the Col-lege Conference Championship which he and his team mateswon. Andrews misses the comradeship and would still playtoday if he could.

Blast to the past: Teacher athletes

Photo courtesy of David Davis

Former Memphis Tiger football player and

current coach David Davis blocks a tackle

in a college football game.

Former Halls basketball player and current Spanish teacher Leslie

Haymon poses with her bastekball. when she played for Halls High.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Haymon

trojan torch 15

“When you finish playing, you must have a plan for the fu-ture,” Grady Andrews said.

Secretary Andrea Gilliland was once a volleyball player hereat Dyersburg High School with our very own Joy Norman as hercoach. Gilliland was committed to her volleyball career fromeighth grade all the way up to eleventh grade and enjoyed thefitness and involvement of the team. Her most memorable mo-ment was during a JV game when she threw the ball overhanded above the volleyball net and made it into the basketballgoal. Although her volleyball years are over, Gilliland would stillplay if she could.

“Keep it fun! Work hard for your coach-- she might be yourboss one day,” Andrea Gilliland said.

Teacher and softball coach Steve Wilder went far with his ath-letic contributions, winning state in high school football andclaiming the title of regional champs for baseball. Wilder wenton playing baseball throughout college and continues to golf tothis day. Not only did Wilder enjoy playing baseball himself, buthe says his most memorable baseball moment was watching hisson Joey pitch in the winning game taking his team to state.

“Work hard. There will be a day when you wish you could,”Wilder said.

Much appreciated lunch lady Marie Walker was a softball andbasketball player. Participating in softball for six years and bas-ketball for four years, Walker’s most memorable moment is win-ning an MVP trophy. Although Walker would not want tocontinue to play ball today, she does miss the exercise it pro-vided.

“Give 110%,” Walker said. English teacher Katie Hill was not only a basketball player but

also was a member of her college intramural flag football team.Hill enjoyed every aspect of both sports-- the competition,spending times with her friends and having people to stay fitwith. With Kim Decker coaching, Hill and her basketball teamwent to the State Tournament all three years that she played.During her college flag football career, she went to the NationalFlag Football tournament all four years that she was on theteam. Hill says that her favorite sport was flag football; she heldthe position of running back. Her most memorable moment wasduring a game against their biggest rival where Hill scored threetouchdowns with the assistance of her lifelong best friend asquarterback. Before Hill moved to Dyersburg, she partook in aco-ed flag football team in Nashville.

“Enjoy it! And maintain a proper balance in your life,” Hill said. Personal finance and ACT prep teacher Kavin Carr stayed busy

with 3 years of football, 4 years of golf, and 3 years of basket-ball. During his athletic career, Carr and his team won the ElksCharity Bowl his junior year of football and were District Champsin basketball his freshman year of high school. The times whenCarr would pass his own expectations and react by instinct atthe spur of the moment in a situation created memories. Carrmisses the workouts, practices, his teammates, encouragingcomments by his coaches and the game nights under the lights.He wishes he could still play.

“Regardless of your athletic ability prepare yourself academ-ically in order to capitalize on the best opportunity. Plan for acareer rather than expecting to play professionally since only asmall percentage make it to the “Big Leagues”,” Kavin Carr said.

Secretary Peggie Walker dedicated her high school years to

basketball. Walker and her teammates won at the district levelbut did not advance from there. Her most memorable momentwas the last game she ever played; she fouled out for the veryfirst time. Playing with and against some of her friends, Walkerenjoyed the competition, being part of the team and the respectshe received for being a team player. Seeing that basketball hasevolved over time, Walker would definitely still play if it was thesame as it was back then.

“If you can’t be a team member, don’t play. If you play onlyfor yourself, don’t play. If you want memories to last a lifetime,play with all your heart even when it hurts,” Peggy Walker said.

Math teacher Anne Houston dove into the pool from seventhgrade until her second year of college. Houston enjoyed thecompetition and camaraderie with teammates and misses herfellow swimmers. Houston had a number of swimming accom-plishments including her individual success as third in the statefor high school, relay wins of first, second and third in highschool, individual achievement of eighth in the South East Con-ference Championships in college and fourth in relays for theSouth East Conference Championships in college. Keeping upher sport, Houston competed in Masters’ swim meets until shewas in her forties and continues to swim 3 days a week for ex-ercise.

“Keep up your sport if possible; if not, do the part of yoursport that benefits your health the most,” Anne Houston said.

Family consumer science teacher Sandra Lanier put down thebasketball and picked up her poms. Playing basketball in fifthand sixth grade, Lanier knew it was not her thing. She begancheering her freshman year of high school and continuedthroughout her high school career. Lanier enjoyed meeting newpeople, getting to hang out with her friends and staying inshape. She misses the youthfulness of the sport. Some of hermost memorable moments were when she and her fellowcheerleaders were absolutely clueless as to whether they werecheering on offense or defense and not knowing the sportslingo.

“Once you quit playing that sport, don’t quit exercising. Stayfit because it will be better on you in your older age,” SandraLanier said.

Former swimmer and math teacher Anne Houston poses with her

swim team at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Houston is

on the front row, second from the left.

Photo courtesy of Anne Houston

16 trojan torch

Emily JacksonReporter

In 2012, 3,235,000 students graduatedfrom high school. Their diplomas aremuch more than a piece of paper. To

a traditional high school graduate, it rep-resents four years of early mornings,seven-hour days spent behind a desk andtolerating a bland and inapplicable cur-riculum. Even though this is the mostcommon route to go, there are other waysof going about getting the same outcome.

Charter schools have established aprominent role in education today. By def-inition, a charter school is a nontraditional,autonomous public school. They primarilyare funded by taxpayer money, but manyare run by for-profit companies. Since thefirst charter school was introduced in Min-

nesota in 1992, they have spread acrossthe nation. As of January 2010, therewere over 5,000 of these schools serving1.5 million students in 39 states.

The difference between a traditionalhigh school and a charter school lies in afew factors.

One difference is how the schools ac-cept their students. In a traditional school,the school is mandated to accept all stu-dents who reside within their district.Charter schools have no districts; they areopen to all students who want to join re-gardless of where they live. If more stu-dents try to enroll than the school cansupport, they will use a blind lottery sys-tem to narrow down their student body.

Another difference comes in how thestudents attend classes. In a regular high

school, you show up in the morning andtake your classes back to back for sevenhours, five days a week. However, theclasses at charter schools are set up likethose at a college. For example, a studentcould take his or her math class on Mon-days, Wednesdays and Fridays at either9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. Because classesare set up this way, students who attendcharter schools have the ability to gradu-ate early or get certain weekdays off.

Also, charter schools typically havesmaller classes and teachers can changetheir curriculum mid-year to conform totheir students needs.

Charter schools offer a more tailoredschool year, faster graduation and smallerclasses.

Charter schools:a rising trend in alternative public education

trojan torch 17

Emily TaylorEditor

Nicholas Sparks, a modern romancenovelist, has created eight books thathave been adapted to film. Message in

a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Note-book, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John, TheLast Song, The Lucky One and Safe Havenhave hit the big screen and have captivatedmany viewers. While watching variousSparks’ films, viewers may notice the reoc-curring themes present in many.

Rain is a key factor in most of the movies.Rain in literature and in movies representsthe beginning of something new. In TheNotebook, Ali and Noah have been apartfrom their relationship for years; however,when the rain comes down, their romance isrekindled.

The Last Song takes a different approachto change. Ronnie’s dad dies from cancer,and the rain begins to fall. This rain symbol-izes the start of a life without her father.

As Katie and Alex experience their first datein Safe Haven, the sky begins to pour, repre-senting the first relationship either one hasbeen in since their previous ones ended.Large bodies of water are prominent themes

in the movies as well. The water brings thecharacters together.

In A Walk to Remember, Landon persuadesa classmate to jump into shallow water sothey can be friends. This hurts the student,and Landon is caught by the police. This bodyof water leads to the change in his life thatinspires him to become a better person.

The Last Song is set on the beach beside theocean. Ronnie and Will meet and begin tostart their relationship by sitting on the sandto guard turtle eggs.

In Dear John, Savannah accidentally dropsher bag from the boardwalk into the ocean.John jumps in to get it for her, and they goto a bonfire together that night.

Another recurrence is seen in all the movieswith a romance between the characters. AWalk to Remember features Jamie and Lan-don. The Last Song is about Ronnie and Will’sjourney, and The Notebook follows Noah andAllie throughout their lives.

Death is a large part of every movie. Eithera main character or a supporting characterdies in most of the movies. Katie’s husbanddies in Safe Haven after a long chase to findher; his death releases Katie from an innerprison. The Lucky One is centered aroundBeth’s brother Drake’s death, which brings allthe characters together. In A Walk to Remem-ber, Jamie dies from leukemia while both Allieand Noah die in The Notebook.

Many of the movies contain characters whoexperience a transformation in their person-ality. Both Jamie and Landon change in AWalk to Remember. Jamie, a preacher’sdaughter, comes out of her shell, and Landontames his bad boy lifestyle. Katie leaves a lifeof terror and learns to trust people againafter she has been abused in Safe Haven.

Throughout the writings and movies fea-turing Nicholas Sparks’ stories, there are oc-currences that reappear at various times.Whether concrete or symbolic, every occur-rence is repetitive.

IMDB

entertainment

Symbolism found in Sparks movies

18 trojan torch

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trojan torch 1

Alex AgeeEditor

Bonnaroo is an annual 4-daymusic festival that takesplace in Manchester, Ten-

nessee. On June 13th through16th, 80,000 people will campon over 700 acres to watch 150performances on more than 10different stages.

This year’s lineup includes PaulMcCartney, Mumford & Sons,The Lumineers, Passion Pit, TheXX, Of Monsters And Men,Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky,Grizzly Bears, ZZ Top and R.Kelly.

“I am really looking forward toseeing Macklemore and RyanLewis live,” senior Will Clifft said.

“This is the best lineup theyhave ever had!” senior EllenStaggs said.

In addition to the musical per-formances, Bonnaroo also show-cases over a dozen comedians, like Bob Saget, and has acinema tent that is open 24 hours that shows a wide variety ofmovies. Not only does the cinema tent show everything fromdocumentaries to the classics, it also features special guestssuch as filmmakers and actors.

When going to Bonnaroo, or any music festival, there are afew things to keep in

mind. Get

there with plenty of time tospare. The line to get into thefestival is usually long, and itcontinues to grow the later itgets. Some people have beenknown to wait four hours for itto open.

The majority of people who at-tend Bonnaroo camp on site.Campers are advised to bringmake sure to have a sturdy tent.The weather is unpredictable, soit is best to be prepared for allkinds of situations. Lawn chairsare also a good idea, seeing asthere will not be many places tosit other than the ground.

Although food will be availableto buy on site, many peoplebring their own snack food.

Personal water bottles are asmart idea as well. Staying hy-drated is very important.Make a plan. Print out a sched-

ule of the performances beforearriving. This way you knows where you need to be and at whattime.

Also, if you plan to bring a cellphone, try to bring a batterybooster. If not, make sure to get up early to recharge yourphone at one of the free-plug in areas because the lines getlong quickly.

“Just chill out and enjoy theexperience,” former

Bonnarroo atten-dant Jeremy Her-

ren said.

Great lineup for Bonnaroo 2013

bonnaroo.com

0 trojan torch

Memories...Class of 2013

Senior Memories

Eighth grade picnic (I really

hope the senior picnic can become

my new favorite) :)

-Mathew Daniels

The Friday the 13th we got

to leave school early because of

the power :)

-Elizabeth Hamilton

Not

having to go to school on my

18th birthday because the school

caught on fire.

-Kristen Williams

Eighth grade trip to Washing-

ton DC with Mrs.Cross and other

classmates, lots of fun memories !!

-Jodi Newsome

Fourth grade trip to the science

museum and running through the mu-

seum’s many obstacles.

-Ashley McGuire

Going to Talon Falls for the first

time with my brother’s junior year.

-Bailey Austin

In primary and intermediate

school playing with the parachutes

in PE.

-Kaitlyn Crank

When Coach Mahaffey came into

the basketball locker room yelling and

punched a hand sanitizer dispenser and cut his

hand open... He continued to yell as blood was

pouring from his hand.

-Will Young

Having a 9-1 regular season record

for our senior year of football.

-Anna Claire Sewell

Seeing Coach Jones break

a clipboard in anger at the end of

the Crockett County game my sophomore year...

He found out after he broke it that the shot

counted and we won.

-Sellers Hickman

Beating Martin Westview in the

Regional Championship four years in a row

and riding scooters down the hallway with

Emma Caylor.

-Katherine Keller

When I leaned over the side of

my desk to pick up a sheet of paper and both

the desk and I tipped and fell my freshman year... in

wellness. No one noticed I was lying on the ground.

About 10 minutes later, Alex Agee noticed and yelled,

“Yvette! You fell?”

Everyone, including me, laughed about it. Coach Coff-

man called me “trainwreck” for a week after the

incident.

-Yvette Leon

22 trojan torch

Letters from the EditorsSome editors of the Trojan Torch have written letters offeringadvice for younger students and offering appreciation to thosewho have influenced them throughout high school.

Journalism has been my safe haven the past three years ofhigh school. It has been an absolute pleasure to write withsome of my best friends on the planet while creating a

newspaper of the utmost quality. I have made more friendsand wonderful memories in this class than any other I havetaken in high school.

My classmates have become lifelong friends and my teacherhas been a wonderful mentor and even more so a friend. I amso thankful for the opportunity to be in this class and encour-age any young writer who is interested to be involved. I lookforward to journalism every day because it has allowed me tocome out of my shell, express myself, and more importantly,find myself. I know that this journey of my life is over, but willcarry the people and things I have learned in this class withme forever.Katherine Keller

Isincerely hope you have a fantastic time walking throughthe halls of Mordor for the rest of your high school car-reers. Really, high school can be completely terrible, but it

does have its good moments and nice people. I will miss a fewwaves in the hallway!

So, I will tell you some advice. . . ;p Dyersburg isn’t thatbad, but don’t be here forever, unless of course you want tobe here forever. It does have its perks, like a cute downtown,a few antique shops and its ability to grow. But there’s a wholeworld you can experience. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Jour-ney, Gandalf says to Bilbo, “The world is not in your books andmaps--!it’s out there.” If you have a dream, follow it or at leastattempt to.

Also, enjoy the people you are with. Keep the friends whoaccept you. Be open-minded towards other people and opin-ions; don’t be that shallow person. Don’t follow society’s ideasfor yourself (unless you really want to). Live in those beautifulmoments. Yes, sometimes the demands of schoolwork andfamily can get in the way of fully living, but that’s okay, enjoyyour family, as well. Try to keep a healthy balance betweenfriends and family. You’re young. I’m young, and sometimes,it’s hard to remember I am only eighteen and not twenty-nineyet. I have been feeling as suppressed as an elephant in a catcarrier.

But because I!am about to venture to college, I feel like avulnerable eight-year-old girl and the weird feelings of feelingold vs. feeling young switch back and forth, easily. It’s awful.This past year has been difficult. From choosing a college to

making big decisions of that sort. These decisions can easilyput a great deal of stress in your life. You have to face the fu-ture though, and apply yourself early. As Sylvia Plath oncesaid, “I do not know who I am, where I am going--and I am the one who has to decide the answers to these hideous ques-

tions,” which is somewhat relevant to chosing a college. Oh, I know this might not be the best thing to say in a school

publication, but one of my teachers once told my class that the“bad” decisions that you make now should not affect your fu-ture (as long as you do not let them). You’re young. We allmake mistakes, and it’s okay. You can grow from the decisionsyou regret. Prepare for the future but live in the present, butnot in selfish ways (that’s just selfish).

Also, the real key to living might be through living up to yourpotential, working towards your goals, even if you aren’t com-pletely happy. You will be happy when you reach them (or atleast I hope/think so, I really don’t know; I’m only eighteen).The real key to happiness, I think, is through compassion, loveand love for other people. -Corena Hasselle

Leaving Dyersburg is thrilling and exciting all at once. It isscary. The world is intimidating. Leaving means leavingthe people you love, the people you have known for most

of your life. You would think that leaving Dyersburg wouldseem like an easy, no-big-deal-kind-of thing, but it’s not.

I can try to forget Dyersburg, if I want to, but I can’t forgetthe people who have helped me become who I am today.Without them, I would be nowhere near where I am at rightnow. For example, my parents. Advice: listen to your parents.They (usually) know what they are talking about.

The last sentence of the Great Gatsby is this, “So we beaton, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into thepast.” We do not like change. We do not want to grow up. Wedo not want to move on. But the only way to truly live andgrow as a person is to move forward. The past is no longersolid ground, so we now look to the future, and everythinglooks up from there.

But the most important word of advice is to be the personyou want to be. We tend to get carried away with what thecrowd wants; we are tempted to move from our personal con-victions. Do not be afraid to step away from what everyoneelse is doing. You are you. You make your own choices. Do notlet others make it for you. We only have one chance to make amark on society and the people around us, and we have onechance to make an impression on people. Ask yourself this:what do you want to be remembered for? And let that carryyou through life. Do significant things. Make the difference youare able to.

Last word of advice: do not be afraid to be open-minded.We live in Dyersburg, TN. Some people do not want to do orsay anything that might cause problems or rumors, becausewe feel constrained by social norms. It is okay to go againstthe crowd. You are only here for a few more years. Hang on toyour values, but listen to others’ arguments. Be open tochange. Change is sometimes good (even if it does not seemlike it at the time).-Sarah Hasselle

trojan torch 23

Dear Dyersburg High School,

If you took me by the shoulders as a freshman, shook me hard,

and told me I was going to be writing a personal senior letter for

the last issue of the school paper I would ever publish, I would

have run away. There!s a small flaw in the whole senior letter

plan. I don!t like talking in front of a lot of people. I don!t like public

speaking. I don!t like public anything. I!m very much a back-

ground kind of person. Good or bad or ambivalent, any kind of

spotlight is not something I favor.

I always just floundered through high school. Through the hall-

ways, through the classes, through dances, lunches, games,

concerts, homework, exams, essays, EoCs, homecomings, rain,

snow, sun. Always the same thing. I never really thought about

what I was going to do or where I was going to go with my life. It

was like treading water in a endless ocean, with nothing but

waves in all directions. And I really didn!t care.

But my senior year, I kinda changed that. Figuratively, I found

a boat to scoop me out of that water. For the first time, I became

a part of a big family, one that I was comfortable in: the Trojan

Torch newspaper. I learned about deadlines and staying late and

editing and ordering underclassmen about (okay, I already knew

how to do that, but this time they actually listened to me. Some-

times).

I made friends I would have never made and found my niche

in the school that previously held none for me. It only took me

four years floating around to do it. Don!t float like me. Doing

things is much more fulfilling.

Which leads me to my message to you, future

upperclassmen and still-underclassmen of

DHS: Don!t wait. Don!t wait to do things, to be

a part of big families. Make friends. Audition

for the play. Go to football games. Go to bas-

ketball games. Go to scocer games. Go to

track meets. Go to the dances. Scream

your lungs out at pep rallies. Take a lot

of pictures, but only keep the good ones.

Be loud. Amaze yourself. People

seem so scary until you

step off your doorstep

to say hello. People

in all

honesty are just people. They do everything you do, and more.

And it!s important to explore that. You can learn something from

everyone.

Find your place. Do what makes you happy. You wanna toss

a flag? Toss the flag. You wanna be in the limelight? Go try out.

You wanna write for the school paper? Send a letter to the editor.

That!s how I got on the staff.

Don!t be scared. Take it from me; swimming around aimlessly

never works. You have to get out there and find something to

love, even if you have to fight tooth and nail to force yourself into

it. Even if everything turns around to bite you in the butt (by the

way, that will happen, unfortunately), it!s worth it. It!s always

worth it.

Take risks! Find the good in everything. You know how they

say every cloud has silver lining? Whoever said that was really

smart because it!s one of those cheesy things that!s actually re-

ally true. Forgive. Forget! Be kind and full of love for your fellow

students (even if it!s hard sometimes. Like that loud person in

the back of class? Gotta love them, too). If you love life, it will

love you back, and even if everything really sucks, just kick

around treading till a boat comes along to scoop you up. In-

evitably, you!ll always end up back in the water. Life just works

that way. But there will always be a boat.

So don!t forget to do your homework, so you can be like me

and walk across the stage with a bunch of applause and cheer-

ing. I hope the clouds will open, the angels will sing and the sun

will shine down as I take that walk. But until then, I guess I!m just

treading water.

Waiting for the boat!

Mackenzie Clark

24 trojan torch 24 trojan torch

Photos by Connie Wright

Honors Banquet 2013